Hong Kong-based AIA Group has agreed to buy the life insurance unit of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Australia's largest bank), for $3 billion.

The deal would make AIA the biggest life insurer in Australia and New Zealand, with 13 million customers.

Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata group firms, received shareholders' approval to become a private limited company.

South Korea has approved a $8-million aid package for North Korea amid increased tensions over the reclusive nation's nuclear programme.

The aid will provide food and medicines to children and pregnant women.

Books & Authors

A book against gender bias, titled 'Testosterone Rex: Unmaking the Myths of Our Gendered Minds' has been chosen as Royal Society of London's science book of the year.

Australia-based Cordelia Fine, who joined the likes of Stephen Hawking with the ₹22-lakh prize, writes in her book, "There are no essential male or female characteristics...when it comes to risk-taking and competitiveness".

Science & Technology

The first of the six Scorpene-class submarines, INS Kalvari, was delivered to the Indian Navy by the ship manufacturers Mazagon Dock Limited headquartered in Mumbai.

The submarine, designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, has superior stealth features and can attack the enemy using precision-guided weapons.

The world's largest aircraft 'Stratolaunch' built by Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen has completed its first engine test this week.

The company said "each of the six engines operated as expected" during the three-phase test.

New Appointments

6 new additional judges took oath at the Calcutta High Court today, while one judge retired.

The appointments and retirement brings the total strength of judges at the High Court to 35, against a sanctioned strength of 72 judges.

Deaths

World's richest woman and the heiress of cosmetics giant L'Oreal, Liliane Bettencourt (94), has died today.

Bettencourt topped the list of the world's richest women for the second year in a row in 2017 with an estimated net worth of $39.5 billion.

Yesteryear actress Shakila (82), who featured in the song 'Babuji Dheere Chalna' from the 1954 film 'Aar-Paar', passed away.